Narrative:

I was the captain, operating medium large transport on aug/sun/92 from iah to abq. The gate agent closed the flight on schedule, after that, the ramp signalman gave me the signal to start engines and then walked away. After that space of about 5 mins, I shut down the engines, opened the window and asked what was going on (no headset or proper cockpit to ground communication). Was informed we were waiting for luggage. The jetway returned for 1 additional passenger. Jetway then closed. Started engines the second time. The ramp man walked away again (there was training at the next gate. A lot of people milling around). Jetway came up the third time. Though we had just arrived. I thought I saw a man raise his hands and I started forward. The first officer was busy, raised his head and told me to stop. I did. A baggage cart was behind the aircraft and was blown over (I discovered this later). We finally powered back and left on our trip to abq. Causes? No communication between ramp and cockpit. No cooperation between first officer and captain. 'Heads up.' 120 new ramp personnel hired with no experience. Training needs to be classroom, not on the job, ground handling aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BAGGAGE CART BLOWN OVER AFTER JET BLAST ENCOUNTER DURING RAMP OP PUSHBACK RAMP DEP PROC.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT, OPERATING MLG ON AUG/SUN/92 FROM IAH TO ABQ. THE GATE AGENT CLOSED THE FLT ON SCHEDULE, AFTER THAT, THE RAMP SIGNALMAN GAVE ME THE SIGNAL TO START ENGS AND THEN WALKED AWAY. AFTER THAT SPACE OF ABOUT 5 MINS, I SHUT DOWN THE ENGS, OPENED THE WINDOW AND ASKED WHAT WAS GOING ON (NO HEADSET OR PROPER COCKPIT TO GND COM). WAS INFORMED WE WERE WAITING FOR LUGGAGE. THE JETWAY RETURNED FOR 1 ADDITIONAL PAX. JETWAY THEN CLOSED. STARTED ENGS THE SECOND TIME. THE RAMP MAN WALKED AWAY AGAIN (THERE WAS TRAINING AT THE NEXT GATE. A LOT OF PEOPLE MILLING AROUND). JETWAY CAME UP THE THIRD TIME. THOUGH WE HAD JUST ARRIVED. I THOUGHT I SAW A MAN RAISE HIS HANDS AND I STARTED FORWARD. THE FO WAS BUSY, RAISED HIS HEAD AND TOLD ME TO STOP. I DID. A BAGGAGE CART WAS BEHIND THE ACFT AND WAS BLOWN OVER (I DISCOVERED THIS LATER). WE FINALLY POWERED BACK AND LEFT ON OUR TRIP TO ABQ. CAUSES? NO COM BTWN RAMP AND COCKPIT. NO COOPERATION BTWN FO AND CAPT. 'HEADS UP.' 120 NEW RAMP PERSONNEL HIRED WITH NO EXPERIENCE. TRAINING NEEDS TO BE CLASSROOM, NOT ON THE JOB, GND HANDLING ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.